Canon announces EOS 5D Mark III 22MP full-frame DSLR

Canon has announced the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, the latest in its enthusiast full-frame 5D series and successor to the popular EOS 5D Mark II. Based around a 22MP full-frame sensor, it can shoot 6 frames per second and features a 61-point AF system much like the EOS-1D X. It can capture 1080p movies at 24, 25 or 30 fps and offers high quality intraframe (All-I) video compression amongst a host of movie-related improvements. It will be available from the end of March with an MSRP of $3499 / €3299 / £2999.99.

"The EOS 5D Mark III represents a big step forward for the EOS 5D series" said Kieran Magee, Marketing Director, Professional Imaging, Canon Europe. "The EOS 5D Mark II is an exceptional camera and we've listened carefully to feedback from its passionate community of users to improve performance in every area. This camera has been designed to meet virtually any creative challenge – it's faster, more responsive and features the tools to adapt to everything from studio photography to creative videography, while producing results of the highest quality."

Enhanced performance

With its comprehensively upgraded specification, the EOS 5D Mark III is the ideal toolfor the growing number of photographers shooting both stills and movies. It incorporates a number of the features launched with Canon's revolutionary EOS-1D X,providing vastly improved performance, flexibility, handling and durability.

The camera's newly-developed 22.3MP full-frame sensor provides increased resolution and finer detail, enabling the capture of a wide range of scenes, from sweeping landscapes to beautiful portraits. Higher speed continuous shooting also offers expanded creative possibilities. With an increased 8-channel read out, the camera comfortably handles a maximum full resolution speed of up to 6fps in bursts of 18 RAW images or over 16,000 JPEGs1, without the need for additional accessories. Additionally, the sensor's advanced architecture offers a huge native ISO range of 100-25,600, expandable to 102,400, making it possible to capture clean, high quality pictures, even in extreme low-light conditions.

The EOS 5D Mark III utilises the same 61-point wide-area AF system as the flagship EOS-1D X, providing exceptional sensitivity, precision and speed. One of the most advanced AF systems currently available, it features an impressive 41 cross-type points and five dual cross-type points, providing unsurpassed accuracy across the frame. The customisable AF pre-sets introduced in the EOS-1D X are also available, helping the capture of traditionally challenging subjects, and providing additional reliability in ituations where subject movement can be unpredictable.

Highly accurate exposures are provided by Canon's acclaimed iFCL metering system, which incorporates a 63-zone Dual-Layer sensor linked to each point of the AF system. Focus information gathered from the AF system is analysed alongside colour and luminance signals measured by the metering sensor itself, enabling the EOS 5D Mark III to deliver consistently accurate skin tones and excellent results in a wide range of shooting situations.

Creative performance without compromise

The EOS 5D Mark III features Canon's latest DIGIC 5+ image processor, which powers a range of new functions without affecting the camera's performance. 14-bit A/D conversion provides smoother tonal gradation and transitions between colours, while in-camera HDR shooting combines three different exposures and allows one of five preset tone maps to be applied, enabling photographers to capture all the detail in high contrast scenes. With in-camera RAW processing and editing capability, photographers also have the option to immediately begin post-processing their images while still on a shoot.

The increased power of DIGIC 5+ also enables a range of tools which contribute to higher image quality. Lens peripheral illumination correction, Lens chromatic aberration correction (lateral and axial) and high ISO noise reduction are all performed in-camera without affecting performance, allowing photographers to continue shooting without any camera lag. Additionally, in-camera image rating via a dedicated button makes it easy for photographers to organise images ahead of post-production.

The EOS 5D Mark III features a new Creative Photo button, which enables users to quickly select Picture Styles and capture multiple exposures, as well as offering direct access to the HDR shooting mode. In playback, pressing the Creative Photo button displays a new comparative playback function, displaying two images side-by-side to allow photographers to view, magnify and compare the quality of different exposures mid-shoot.

For situations where photographers want to avoid being noticed, such as weddings, the EOS 5D Mark III also features a new silent shooting mode that dramatically reduces the sound of the shutter and mirror, ensuring they can work quietly in the background. A continuous silent mode is also available, enabling photographers to capture fastermoving subjects without attracting attention.

Next generation EOS Movies

The EOS 5D Mark III builds on the reputation of the EOS 5D Mark II, with a range of new features introduced following feedback received from photographers to provide even better Full HD video performance. As well as offering the depth-of-field control loved by video professionals, the new full-frame sensor combines with the vast processing power of DIGIC 5+ to improve image quality by virtually eradicating the presence of moiré, false colour and other artefacts. The addition of a movie mode switch and a recording button also offers greater usability, enabling videographers to begin shooting immediately when movie mode is engaged.

Additional movie functions include manual exposure control and an enhanced range of high bit-rate video compression options, with intraframe (ALL-I) and interframe (IPB) methods both supported. Variable frame rates range from 24fps to 60fps, and the addition of SMPTE timecode support provides greater editing flexibility and easier integration into multi-camera shoots. Users can also check and adjust audio during recording via the camera's Quick Control screen and a headphone socket enables sound level monitoring both during and after shooting. Enhanced processing power provided by DIGIC 5+ also makes it possible to conveniently trim the length of recorded movies in-camera.

Professional build, easy operation

The EOS 5D Mark III has been built to offer photographers easy-handling and robust build quality. Its lightweight, high-grade magnesium body offers advanced weather proofing for protection against the elements, while the construction of the shutter has also been reinforced, with 150,000-cycle durability making it ideal for repeated, everyday use. An enhanced version of the Intelligent Viewfinder featured in the EOS 7D offers approximately 100% coverage, as well as an on-demand grid display via the builtin transparent LCD.

The same reinforced 8.11cm (3.2") Clear View II LCD screen as used by the EOS-1D X provides high quality framing and playback in all conditions. 1,040k-pixels provide the resolution to accurately check image sharpness and focus, while the gapless structure design introduced with the EOS-1D Mark IV prevents reflections and protects against dust or scratches. A headphone socket and locking mode dial have been included, while the inclusion of a UDMA 7-compatible CF card slot plus an SD card2 slot enables shooting to both cards simultaneously, auto switching when the one in use becomes full and the option to copy images from one card to the other in-camera.

Digital Lens Optimizer – new in Digital Photo Professional v3.11

The EOS 5D Mark III comes complete with the most advanced version of Digital Photo Professional (DPP) yet – Canon's free, in-box software enabling high-speed, high quality processing of RAW images. New in DPP v3.11 is Digital Lens Optimizer – a revolutionary new tool designed to drastically improve image resolution.

Digital Lens Optimizer (DLO) precisely imitates lens performance, with a series of complex mathematical functions replicating each stage of the journey of light through the optical path. Using this information DLO can correct a range of typical optical aberrations and loss of resolution caused by a camera's low pass filter, by applying an inverse function to each shot to take the image nearer to how the scene appears to the naked eye. This creates exceptionally detailed, high-quality images with highly manageable file sizes, providing photographers with maximum image quality and greater flexibility.

EOS System compatibility

As part of the EOS System, the EOS 5D Mark III is immediately compatible with over 60 EF Lenses, including the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM – the new, essential wide-angle zoom lens from Canon's famous L-series. The camera is also compatible with a newlyannounced range of accessories designed to offer extended creativity, including the Speedlite 600EX-RT – a high performance TTL flash with wireless radio connectivity. Additionally, the new Battery Grip BG-E11 offers greater handling flexibility alongside the ability to double the camera's battery life.

Though this is a Canon post (i use a Nikon System), one of the few factors between the new Canons and the new Nikon's in my opinon is what they already have and don't have rather than what's new.

An example would be Canon's magnificent 50mm F1.2 and despite that we know it's bloody expensive, Most of my pro photog friends use this. The only thing that could beat that beast or anything else was a Noct-Nikkor 1.2 58mm (which im a proud owner of) which is a lens from so many years ago! Costs$$$ but only MF...i don't understand why Nikon would not reproduce this to challenge the Canon knowing it has a legendary status as a lens..

With that said, and keeping with this topic...my point is. I'd rather have a lens of noct-nikkor abilities on any of my nikon cameras than an expensive 'new' camera that boast this and this. Thats why people would look at my pictures or yours. Great equipment is just an advantage over different kind of factors nowadays when you've been doing photography long enough and we know great lens outlasts even great bodies in the long haul...

I just got mine in the mail on Friday 3/23 from B&H. I took the camera and manual to bed with me after my wife and I got home from dinner on Friday (after a week away on business) and my wife was some what miffed. Am I missing something here? It's beyond all my expectations (the camera that is).

Lucky you, i hope mine 5d will come tomorrow. I pay €3299,00 euro's for this baby. Today i saw the price was raised in the photoshop where i ordered the 5d. It"s now €3495,00 but i'll get it for the ordered price.

Is it not strange that the people, who accuse others of dogma, are often the most dogmatic themselves? It will not make a blind bit of difference if you are a nikon user or a canon user, if you don’t view the world in terms of lines and shapes, of compositions and visual narratives.

A talented photographer will always out perform a substandard photographer and thinking having the latest and greatest camera will make any difference is delusion made manifest.

I want Nikon D800E! It is the BEST FF Camera today.For me Canon is not gut. Nikon is like Apple, Canon is like Windows. NIKON IS BETTER!Canon 5D mark3 is the same 5D mark2, with better autofocus. That is all. Nothing new. 5Dmark3 is nothing new. Only the autofocus is a new tool on 5D mark3. And Canon want 3300 euro for that OLD camera. Only a cheap marketing strategy.

NIKON IS THE FUTURE. NIKON IS A PHILOSOPHY. Canon is a religion. By Canon you have to believe. Canon is dogma.BY NIKON, YOU HAVE TO KNOW, you have to be, you have to do! By Canon you have only to believe. Canon makes business, propagandas, too much marketing. By Nikon it is photography!

I was curios how you came up with your conclusions? Did you personally spend time with the 5d3 before saying "your brand" is better? Its not even YOUR company! I haven't spent time with the nikon, mostly because I am heavily invested in Canon glass - but I can tell you as a 5d2 and 5d3 owner - you have no idea what you are talking about when you discuss these cameras. I have the 5d3 in hand as we speak - I didn't even know the difference before I started playing with it - and to be honest, I probably won't know everything I need to know for at least a week with it.

Im not going to comment on Nikon because I have no experience with it. All I ask is that you do the same.

I just had a look at the comparison between the D800 and the 5DIII and quite frankly I don't see what you are babbling on about. There isn't one single category for the D800 that beats or even equals the 5DIII.Wait - OK - got it - just read the bit about the 3300 euro. OK so you can't afford a 5DIII so you are slamming it with a cheaper inferior camera. No worries. Stay with youe Nikon

Did Canon realize we are in the middle of a very bad economic crisis, and companies are trying not to loose clients not increasing prices of goods? International companies are shaking out and this is most true for Japanese firms which have passed throught a very bad year. But maybe they know much better than me what they're doing...

I take still photos almost exclusively, but occasionaly make a panoramic video of particularly spectacular scenery. My 5DII only outputs .mov files and the Mk III spec says it outputs to H.264 Codec standard. What, if any, is the relationship between these? Is there anything intrinsically superior in .mov over other formats more suited to the WinPC (as opposed to Mac) user? (And which can be played through my TV, which scorns .mov -- and most .avi wrappers).

BTW I moved from the 5Dto the 5DII principally for the anti-vignetting SW included, which has helped me greatly with landscapes, especially in the creation of panoramas.

Sorry if I seem hopelessly unschooled compared to the rest of you experts, but I can't help it!

not a type of .MOV. A type of codec compression for the video/audio. It can be played on any media player that supports H.264 which are on mac and windows. Mov files is just a packaging type. H.264 is a great form of compression compare to many compression out there. Less artifacts and great image quality vs file size. It's pretty much what people stream HD video with.

Imaging Resource has Raw files posted. I am comparing to the 5D classic, and at pixel level I see an improvement of about 3 stops in noise performance. If you downsize to 12.7MP, I'm sure that will make 4 stops as well as added detail. That is quite significant.

I am not so sure upgrading would be as viable an option if you already own a MkII, though, but going from MkI, I think it's time to upgrade - After I've sold my flat, that is.

I doubt they are crazy. They are masters of market research. They are crazy only if no one will pay this price. You and I know that many will. They are not in business to populate the world with Canon cameras. They are in business to earn profits for their shareholders.

I agree. USB 2.0 is absurd, however; I'm sure the rest of the camera will be a huge improvement. Keeping the MP close to 20 is actually a better idea in my book. I would rather have less noise. Plus with only usb 2 transfer rates, it will take for ever to get the pics to the laptop!

Ouch!!!For $3500 (body only) I don't get a stereo mic?? I demand a stereo mic!!!

I see tons of silly comments, and some rational ones. So I'll refrain from making a speech for or against the camera, if I had any!

Starting tomorrow, I am giving up one meal a day (assuming an average of $5 per meal) for the next 2 years, yes 2 years. .. I just dropped the first $5 in a jar!That should save enough $5 bills to buy it with a lens and a flash.

I'm not so sure that Canon does call it an "enthusiasts" camera. Dpreview does that; they do it all of the time, not just with Canon cameras, but also with some Nikon Models. No problem, I just choose to disagree with them, it's easy to do, because they're wrong! :-)

when 5D1 was announced the highest APSC had a 6MP vs 12MP for 5D1when 5D2 was announced the highest APSC had a 15MP vs 21MP for 5D2when 5D3 was announced the highest APSC had a 24MP vs 22MP for 5D3no comment!!!

12MP is enough, I agree, but having played recently with a friends' MK1 with L glass on it, I was surprised from the amount of chroma noise in the out-of-the-camera JPEGS at ISO 400. MKI was a great camera bat that was in 2005.

The 5D III is really an upgrade of the 1Ds III in a smaller body, 1 fps faster, HD video, HDR, upgraded AF and metering systems, improved sensor, for a price reduction of 57%. From this perspective it doesn't look bad at all.

I find your post inappropriately correct! I dont find the price outragious at all. Yes its out of my budget, which is why I want to wait for a year later to get it. I think the people that are complaining are mostly amatuer hobbyist. People always want the most for the least but thats not how things work people.

Good points. Or you could look at it as a D700 that costs 59% more for an extra 10MP that you'll never see in prints under 12"x18". As a Canon shooter, I'm not pushing a Nikon agenda here. But, for my bread-and-butter event work, I'll take low noise over more pixels above 12-16MP any day.

I can see a contradiction in many comments. Many write that D3s is a fantastic camera dispite the 12 mp but the 22 mp of 5D mark III are not enough. Personally I find all this discussion meaningless, the cameras are very similar, the one is faster and with better low light performance and the other has bigger resolution. But most of the time noone will notice any difference. And I am almost sure that the flagships of Nikon and Canon, the D4 and 1DX are almost identical. I own DSLRs from both and I think that the last 2 years they reached saturation, they can not provide something radically new that gives to one or the other the clear advantage.

yes there is no diff btw Mercedes & VW in cars or the most luxurious Rolex vs the cheapest digital plastic strap casio watches except in some ppl's minds 3mp is very close to 36mp (when you downsize both to QVGA).

couldn't reply to one of the posts commenting that megapixels is a stupid marketing trick. The answer is yes it is. I dare you to take the old 6mp nikon d50 and compare it to any high res consumer cameras, never mind phone cameras and you will see that megapixels are a marketing trick and nothing more. Most of us don't even need anything beyond 2-3 mp in our lifetime and yet there are idiots out there who will go and buy D800 because they have been tricked.

I have upscaled my 5d MarkII 5mp setting with their 21mp setting shot in the same condition. After upscaling the 5mp image to 21 in photoshop I was surprised that I saw virtually no difference at 100% viewing. What does that tell u?

I shoot professionally with a 1DII (8MP) and a 1DsII (16MP). In a 12"x18" print, the difference in resolution of fine detail is significant. The 8MP image looks good, but the 16MP image is clearly better. That said, I feel that 16MP is plenty for a 16"x24" print. At that size, shooting technique (mirror lockup, fast shutter speed, sturdy tripod, prime lens) has a much greater impact on image quality than any additional pixels. Shooting handheld with a zoom, I haven't been able to see any difference in detail at lower ISO between the 1DsII and 1DsIII, despite the MP gap.

Something tells me that you are not doing your comparison tests correctly. Maybe you are using a different lens, I don't know, on a 12x18 print you shouldn't see any difference from 8mp to 16 mp other than exposure/white balance variables. Are you shooting jpegs or raw?

If they are both 1.5 crop you wouldn't be able to tell one is better than the other in almost any reasonable print size up to 24x30" print and even in mural sized prints I doubt if you did a proper side by side that you would be able to tell which one is which.

Canon claims to have listened to photographers. Where is the shake reduction system or did the photographers ask for the new 24-70L instead? Gosh no, you must be crazy to think that I will jump the wagon and upgrade my old 24-70L or... are we all idiots for crying out loud?

Seems my bad. Was not the 7D used to film 'House' and the last episode of that House tv season was indeed shot with a Canon EOS 5D MKII with new firmware. But maybe the question that should be asked is..."What can the new Mark III offer over the old MK II since the resolution is similar? God knows the price is riduculous.

Many are commenting on the lack of 1080/60p. I read that this is not a sensor limitation, but has to do with h.264 codec. The AVCHD codec can provide 1080/60p (see Sony NEX and A77), but Canon or Nikon don't want to license the AVCHD codec from Sony and Panasonic. It would be nice to have (probably the GH3 will have 1080/60p) on a 5D or D800, but super slo-mo is not that important to me. If you need it, you can always carry a NEX-5N in addition to your Canon (or Nikon) DSLR.

As a professional with a diverse group of clients spanning editorial, commercial and wedding this camera hits almost all the right marks. 2 extra stops of low noise performance in jpeg mode, is huge for event and wedding work. I am very glad that Canon decided to add professional level focusing to the 5D series. I think this feature set justifies the increase in price, at least for a pro user like me considering returning to the 1D line. I also shoot video and the improvements are all very welcome. The big miss is the HDMI out not being full spec like Nikon, I am not sure if there is an engineering reason for this? The increased speed makes this camera perfect for everything except the fastest sports action. Canon claims to have reduced moire and other video problems common with DSLR video- we will see how much this is true. I also welcome the HDR modes, if they work as well as promised they give the photographer a great tool in camera. Biggest miss is HDMI not being full spec out.

The real value gaps between these cams is not so much.The 5D line should be 1899 and 2699.Canon is attempting a fleecing of the herd because they think they can.They didn't hear about the worldwide recession bound to last long time yet.Or maybe they did and are trying to stock up on cash reserves. Either way it just is not good customer relations. Those things do still exist - yes?

5D mkiii $3500 price is concerning, but at least their battery grip is not going to cost $616 like D800 grip.

Let's face it, for us Canonites with tons of L glass, unless D800 is offered with EOS lens mount, the whatever perceived/real difference bet. 5D mkiii and D800 is not going to lead us away from the 5D series.. And frankly, all these cameras at this level will be capable of wonderful images all dependent on user, no matter which camera "wins."

Too bad all Canon grips need to remove the battery cover to install eh. Funny how every other brand has grips that install to a pinout at the bottom with no loose parts and no need to turn off both when attaching and removing the grip.

And sorry, the D700 grip cost $200. You must be confusing your $616 with the cost of buying lens hoods for all your lenses.

Oh no! A battery cover removal! Whatever shall I do?! It hooks into the BG, and maybe takes 10 seconds to install. Or is 10 seconds too inconvenient? Also, learn how to read. he said nothing about the D700 BG, he was talking about the D800 BG which, by the way, in 2014 is STILL around $400. So kindly, please crawl into the deep hole in which you reside.

Insane price aside, the Mark iii (like the D800) it is too big, too heavy and too conspicuous for those of us interested in street and travel photography. At the moment if you want full frame you are stuck with having to use a brick with a beer can bolted on it. They seem to be going in that direction, the 7D was already mad - a 22.3x14.9 sensor camera bigger and heavier than the full frame 5D mkii. When the rumours about the digital OM started to leak I fooled myself that Olympus was going to come out with a compact full frame slr like the Olys of yore, but it turned out to be a gimmick. If Pentax could come out with a full frame k5 style camera they would fill a gap in the market and I would definitely sell my 5D mkii and switch.

Well, according to this logic I suppose that four Nikon F5 with massive tele zooms would be even bulkier, so the guy with the two F1s should count himself lucky.I, on the other hand, carried for years a couple of Olympus OM-4ns and three prime lenses and to me the Mark iii and D800 are very big, heavy and eye-catching.

You've got to be kidding if you think the 5D Mark III is too big and bulky. I'm a wedding photographer & carry the mark II and battery grip with me for 15+ hours at a time (along with all of my other gear including a 2nd body). I expect to do the same with the mark III. Weight gives stability. Plenty of women use the mark ii with the 70-200mm all day. Muscle up.

Also, over priced? The 5D mark III has seriously awesome features. Plus it's half the price of the 1DX. There's also the ability for amazing video. Give me a break. It seems you're not at the level to utilize it's potential. It's a tool for both business and art. If you need it for neither, why have it? If you're serious about your photography, the weight and cost are worth it. Either don't complain or get more realistic equipment for you. It cracks me up when people have stupid complaints when not knowing what they're talking about. Please don't comment if your complaining things like this. Please save it for real reviews.

There is an option for a full frame street and travel camera in the Leica M9, although expensive if you're really into this sort of photography It may well be worth the investment. However I do agree that it would be great if there were some more affordable options. Olympus bringing out a full frame version of the Om series was always highly unlikely given their current circumstances and their heavy commitment to 43rds. On the plus side though, If one doesn't get to obsessed with sensor size the 16mp Olympus, looks like a good affordable option, particularly with its professional weather sealing and articulating screen that will allow you to shoot on the street from the hip. I also like the fact that you can focus and shoot using the screen. I currently have a 5d mk11 but for street photography I normally default to my old OM-4ti, which I love, It will be very interesting to see how the new Om performs.

That a good point, October, however I take pictures mainly in depraved and socially difficult areas and I'm freelance, so carrying thousands worth of Leica equipment is just not a viable thing for me. Plus, and thats a personal thing, I don't like the status associated with the brand. The problem with using the Mark ii for me is that as soon as I take out the camera people seem to take an interest in what I'm doing, which didn't happen when I was shooting with the OMs or the Konica Hexar. I'm not fussed with megapixels, if the low light results are good I could work with 6mp. I will be looking at the Olympus though to be honest I'm not holding my breath. I'm also waiting for the review of the X Pro 1 and to see what Pentax comes out with in the next few months.

Okay, i was a little-bit hard with my comments yesterday. sorry to all.i was just simply expecting for the 5d-3 to be a real upgrade from the two and, have a more competitive edge on the d800 since i own the 7D. i was looking to upgrade to a full size sensor SLR but canon did not hit the bulls eye with an upgrade. instead , only made a better 5D-2 and called it a 3 with 1more pixel ad-on.nikon on the other hand accomplished the job thoroughly with the d800 with 36MP .the fact is BOTH camera manufacture are really good, thats why they have been head to head on for years.i was one of those people who switched from nikon to canon during the film to digital transition era.canon just had the digital edge over nikon in that era. but i refuse to go from my 7D to the 5D-3 just to get a generic 5D-2 upgrade. if that was the case i would sacrifice and go back to nikon and get the d800. however i will wait and see to see if canon will surprize me with something better than the 5D-3.

I don't think the 5d m3 as an update, I see it more like a 3D, as many others do. It bridges the gap between the 5d and 1d line. Megapixel count is important, but you make it sound like the "end all, be all" and it isn't. Like you I was hoping for a larger megapixel count, but then again... why? Is quantity better than quality? While I have not had any time with the camera yet, I have read a lot of reviews from folks who have, and asked them a lot of questions, and their answers tell a lot about the camera. Getting two stops better quality in low light sensitivity will make a huge difference in my wedding photography business, more than adding 50% more resolution... more resolution of noise does me no good. Joed700's comments make more sense - but I don't need a formal test to see that at 12000 iso there is a lot less noise. Dual cards is huge, you have immediate backup of images! If you care so much for MP count, why not get a phaseone 65+ and get it over with!

Until I see data from some synthetic benchmarks and some better examples (the Canon Japan ones failed to impress me) I do not believe that they got 2 stops better in 1 generation. If they were they'd be pictures plastered all over the internet and they're be demos all over the place.

Fact is I think Canon is advertising 2 stops more and my guess it is that is better, but probably not as "improved" as they claim. Nikon is far more conservative on the noise figures because they can care less what their snap sort feature list looks like.

It interesting to see Canon loyalists and Nikon fanboys here debating which camera is better that the other. Some are naive enough to defend the overpricing of the Canon 5D MK III for its imaginary/untested super sensor. The true to the matter is each camera has goods and bads, and so are their lenses. I think as consumers, we shouldn't defend certain brand but to demand quality from the manufacturers. We pay so much money now-a-days for lenses that are made of cheap plastics. Why should we pay over thousand dollars for small sensor cameras like the D7000 or 7D..? They should make full frame DSLRs standard and do away with all the DSLRs with crop factors. Why keep these sub standard cameras around when the technology is readily available? I guess we all know the answer; they do it because they can! Remember the days of the film cameras? Everyone used 35mm and that was the standard.

NR, resolution, distortion.... That's just a matter of taste. I am not really concern about that. I think the content of the photo is more important. If the photo has no spirit, even though you use a Linhof or a Hasselblad, it still generates garbage results.

You are certainly right for the first part of your comment. However, sensor size is directly related to camera size & weight as well as the lens reach. Small sensors, such as 1/2.3", are necessary for manufacturing portable cameras with 35X zoom lens. APS-C standard is very practical for most amateurs with a good range of lenses available from many sources.At the end of the day, there is a market for every product because different people have different needs.

@Edmond Leung--I totally agree with you when it comes to real photos. The equipment is and for most part irrelevant. I made some of the most awesome shots with my iPhone apps. I am speaking from the perspective of a consumer rather than a photography. Check out Instagram and you will see many creative photographers' work and not people just like to talk about specs.

Got to agree with you there Joed700, the tec that goes into the DSLR seems to be the overriding factor on some of the latest cameras but the manufactures think that all bells and whistles is the thing that will sell.They've forgotten the enthusiast who just wants to take good pictures and doesn't need all the gizmo's that are on these beasts.On a personal level I could list a whole raft of things that I wouldn't bother putting into a camera because most of the time I wouldn't use them and I would love to know what the pros think on that count.I love to see full frame become standard and then the price come down as we all start to use the format, wonder how long it will be before we see a fully manual full frame DSLR.

I had a 5d mark II when I needed to have further reach for certain shots. A great way to get more focal length is to have a cropped sensor - so my 400mm with a 2x converter would produce 1280mm effective focal length rather than just 800. THe sensor is just one of many tools. If all the sensors were full frame, you would lose that!

@BestExposures--what you said is true; however, you do lose out on the wide ends. Your 50mm is now a 90mm telephoto and this could be a major problem if you are working in confined space. Sure, you can use a do-it-all wide to telephoto lens if you don't mine the distortion and small apertures. I also did some comparisons between crop shots and standard full frame shots, and in my own observation, the full frame shot looks much better in terms of foreground to background ratio and sharpness.

Lenses.The larger the sensor, the bigger, complex and expensive the lenses have to be to correct aberrations in the areas away from the center of the picture.With APS-C sensors you have great lenses (also from Sigma and Tamron) for less than 600$.With full frame, you need L-class lenses in case of Canon, and similar high end lenses from Nikon or Sigma.

This comes at a cost that a lot of you are missing completely.This is from the Nikon Technical manual for D800/D800E posted on nikonrumors.com and available for download as PDF.

P4 - Shooting Techniques:At the high resolutions off ered by the D800/D800E, even theslightest camera motion can result in blur. The technique revealedin this section minimizes blur through a combinationof live view photography and a tripod.

P6 - Same Shot No Live ViewLive view photography was not used in creating the secondexample below; consequently, the mirror was not raised untilthe photo was taken and the results are blurred.

P9 - Shutter SpeedThe superior resolution of the D800/D800E makes smallamounts of focus blur more obvious. Select a shutter speedslightly faster than you would choose when photographingthe same subject with other cameras.

Personally, I'd rather have a great, all round great camera, in the 18 - 22MP range, with high ISO and a faster shutter speed.

Nikon didn't deliver an upgrade to the D700 with the D800, but Canon did in the 5D MK 3.This is why I'm leaving Nikon and moving to Canon.I didn't have a FF Nikon, so that made the choice a lot easier.Even Ken Rockwell is singing the praises of the 5D MK 3 :)

Thanks for the heads up. I'm sure people will learn to compensate for this short coming. Remember the days before AF and the 60/40 center weighted meters? People still came up with great photos. The high MP war is a reality and I'm sure Canon will come up with their 36 or 40 MP version in a year or two from now. Perhaps putting VR on all lenses??? Progress will prevail, as always.

Canon a year ago demonstrated a 50Mpixel DSLR sensor.Nokia is about to launch a 41Mpixel PHONE.Don't know about you, but i have the slightest suspect this 41Mpixel sensor images won't be quite as good as the 12Mpixel of a D3s... :)MP war is just a stupid marketing trick.

This is roughly the same resolution of the D5100/D7000 brought to full frame. Blur is not that big of a deal. The low light performance of the D5100/D7000 was already superior to Canon's "paper" claims of the T3i.

I'll wait to see that Canon in person in a side by side test with Nikon before getting all worked up.

Oh well if Ken Rockwell is singing the praises of the 5D Mk III. I'm sure he is, right up until the part of the text that includes the Buy Now link. KR, seriously? Is that the best you've got?

As far as if the D800 is an upgrade to the D700, what is it then, a downgrade? A "downgrade" to 12 mp model that had no video?The D800: 3 times the resolution, 1080/24p uncompressed video, and less noise at high ISO for only $300 more than a D700. How dare Nikon? /sarcasm/

Dear marike, where do you get the "less noise at high ISO"?Do you have any tests proving that? (and i'm talking about RAW files, i don't care if Nikon improves their NR algorithms for JPEGs, since no pro shoots JPEG anyway, and in-camera NR will always be inferior to NR done in specialized SW).Until then, let me believe that having photosites 3 times as big (D700) is a large advantage in terms of SNR and sensitivity. ;)

@Martin Kulhavy, yeah if you stitch several images to make a 100Mpix panorama, you'll get great results in a large print.Or if you use a medium format sensor.Now if you just shrink and shrink the dimension of the photosites, using the same sensor size (full frame), at some point you don't get any extra measurable resolution.Ever heard of point spread function, lens MTF, airy disk?Anybody could make a 100Mpixel full frame sensor if they wanted to, the technology is there as you have mobile phone sensors with less than 1micron pixel pitch.Do you think such sensors have the same image quality and per pixel sharpness of a normal DSLR?

People, stop saying Canon or Nikon or SONY abandoned the MP race. The race is there but it is called the technology race.

When 1Dx and D4 came out, people were thinking the company stop increasing mp, Of course they wouldn't as higher mp is one very effective way of increasing IQ.

D800 is Nikon's studio camera but 5D3 is not Canon's studio camera. There is a 40+mp one being developed for that role. 5D3 is a just a top of the line enthusiast camera. The 40+mp one will be way more expensive so I guess Canon realized users have no choice unless they switch system. Few will do as 22mp is not low enough that people switch just as few people switch from D700 to 5D2.

They didn't demo anything they just said the made a prototype 50mp chip which they said they had no plans to put into a consumer camera. There is a big difference between being able to get 50 mp on a chip as a tech experiment and having a sensor with usable IQ. Besides the 50Mp sensor was in 2007. If it was good enough to use in a camera it would have been done by now. Canon as also made a 120mp APS-H sensor. Do you think they will be putting that in a camera a as well? These were just prototypes to test what the extreme limits of their current technology and noting more.

Only canon knows if they will be making a high megapixel DSLR. Saying they are and that it will be released this year when you really have no idea what their plans are is just ignorant and silly.

Well, sucks to be broke right about now.... looks like canon finally abandoned the MP race. I think 22 mp is more then enough even for some decent cropping. While i used to be long time nikon user, this finally looks interesting, especially AF system. Many nikonians brag about af system, and while probably better then archaic 9 point on older canon models, there was still lot to be desired ( d300, D700..., D3 series are probably little better)As a nikon fan this is the camera id buy if i had the cash and actually wanted to lug around backpack full of glass. For now, m43 will do ,lol

Following up on backayonder's comments - having spent too many hours to count, standing at trackside (sitting or kneeling is not allowed), I couldn't agree more. I wonder how this particular 'plonker' would have reacted had it started to rain. Me - a plastic bag and some tape and let the rooster-tails begin. However, this is about the new 5D mkIII. Nice to see some expanded video functionality, but not going to trade my mkII - I keep them 'til they quit.

British Grand Prix, Brands Hatch 1982.I saw something that has always stayed in my mind when it comes to photography and gear.

I couldn't help but notice the working Professional photographers going about their work.They had battered cameras and lenses held together with gaffer tape attached to monopods. Their photo's graced the newspapers on Monday and no doubt the glossy racing magazines later.

Waiting for the race to begin I noticed a keen amateur photographer in front of me. He had a pristine aluminium case. He eventually opened it to reveal a shiny Canon A1 and numerous lenses. They were immaculate. The foam protecting his gear was so sharply cut it could draw blood. The crowd around him, bored looked on.

But oh no what is this? A piece of grass had blown onto the foam! Manicured fingers quickly moved in to remove the errant grass and brushed away any dirt. Wow what a lucky escape.The crowd around him watched on in amazement at this total plonker.

But a good craftsman always looks after his tools. Like a good soldier may have a well worn rifle but it will be spotless. Battered cameras and smashed lenses are all very well, but if you have to buy your own kit you look after it properly or you are as much of a plonker as the manicured man and his aluminium case. If you were about to be operated on by a surgeon wielding a blunt and rusty scalpel, your romanticism about workman's tools would evaporate.

My 5D is now pretty ancient and has one scratch/crack where I dropped it on a mountaiside and my lenses are immaculate. It has taken around 65,000 shots and still clicks along just as happy as when I bought it.

People here are talking about how they are going to dump all their gear because there are phone cameras with higher resolution? It's pathetic. Even if you have half the gear you claim you have, you are the same people who run a mile when anyone asks to see your portfolio.

How about all you armchair experts get off your fat ass*s and actually take some photos rather than bitching about numbers? Yes I know all about the importance of equipment when it comes to commercial photography blah blah but you would get a hell of a lot more work if you put half the energy that you spend on bitching about canon/Nikon into learning how to take a more creative shot. That's why there are kids with 3Mp camera phones who can smoke you.

Yes, absolutely. Get out there and produce some Ken Rockwell-level photograhy. Then we'll take you seriously! P.S. If you found this comment helpful (I don't see how) please consider supporting my entire family with a donation.

Too many opinions, not enough photos, is that it? Censorship is never the answer. As long a people are civil with no personal attacks.

Speaking of which, Mr. Hertz, this is not the first time you mention someone's finances. How do you know what people have? Don't know many on DPR, but am aware of at least 20 people who have ordered the D800, probably the most exciting release this year. Not fanboys, just photographers who appreciate great gear. Sorry 21 people as I bought a D800 as well.

5D Mark III is NOT 5D Mark II replacement for me (mostly landscape photographer). Neither 1Dx is NOT 1Ds replacement (it is more 1D fulframe upgrade). So where is the best Canon landscape camera?Next year will Canon announce development 5Dx (for $5k) and 1Dxs ($10k), announce it in two years and market availability in three years.BTW where is the 200-400? The development was announced more than year ago with scheduled for launch during 2011. It looks that customers are not even worth to get some update?

It has same functions as my 5D II, but it is almost 50% more expensive. For landscapes, I don't need high FPS or fast autofocus. Higher resolution would be nice. I think that I know what I am talking about, I have dozens of very large prints home.

Canon has to up the ante. If all they did was add more pixels to please you, would that sell more cameras? I think not. Nothing they have done to the Mark III is detrimental to landscape photography, but does make it more attractive to other consumers.

I think this camera looks smoother than it is in the photos. It's almost exactly the same as the 7D, which is a pretty beefy camera if you've ever held one. The new 5D is actually just a bit bigger than the 7D, so it definitely won't handle like a rebel.

This is wonderful news. I can now pick up a used 5D Mark II to replace my 5D for a song. I wonder how many die hard Canon owners won't see that this camera is almost identical to the current 5D Mark II?

The only thing that might be very good on this camera is the low light focusing, but to be honest we call it manual focusing today.

Maybe they will fix the bracketing feature with this model. Why I have to put the camera on timer so that it will take all three images is a joke.

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